Authorities in Kyrgyzstan's southern region of Jalal-Abad said on April 11 that Uzbek border guards had "abducted" a local shepherd near the village of Kok-Tash, close to the Uzbek border, a day earlier. According to the officials, negotiations are under way to return the man back to the Kyrgyz side. Similar incidents have been reported for decades on both sides of the border, some parts of which had been disputed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Kyrgyz and Uzbek officials announced last year that an agreement delimiting almost the entire Kyrgyz-Uzbek border had been reached. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, click here.
Uzbek Border Guards 'Abduct' Kyrgyz Shepherd Near Border
Uzbek border guards reportedly apprehended a local shepherd near the village of Kok-Tash. (file photo)